Back Supporter

ABSTRACT

A back supporter including two spring loaded adjustable underarm supports . The support arms are designed for underarm lift when in use. A wide waist belt distributes the weight to the hips and around the waist. Multiple holes provide lateral adjustment. A system of springs and pins provide full motion forward, backward, and side to side.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to support devices for the lower back. There are many back supporting devices which are known in the art. Some examples of similar types of devices are described in 1. U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,313 Inventor(s) Thomas Albin 2. U.S. Pat. Nos. 20011/0313337 Inventor(s) Derek John Goldfinch et al 3. U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,395 Inventor(s) Hans Kautzky.

These devices are intended to provide relief to the lower back by reducing the load on the spine. Movement is typically reduced by the rigidity of these devices. This restriction makes it difficult to go through normal daily activities with reasonable comfort. Some devices even require surgically implanted hardware which brings along with it other risks.

Some back support devices are not intended to be used by a person while they are active, but only to be used during times at rest. Some devices are large and cumbersome, discretion is not an option.

The advantage of The Back Supporter is the freedom of movement and ability to go to work or do any other normal activity while wearing the device. The discretion of being worn under a loose fitting shirt without detection while removing pressure from the spine is a plus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A hip belt (16) designed to rest on the upper hip, approx. 6″ wide in the back and tapered down to 3″ wide on sides and in front, made of 5 ply neoprene material. This belt is worn to be snugly around the user's waist. The belt (16) has an attached 1½″ pull strap (18) that is fed through a ¼″ steel loop (17) and fastens in place by heavy duty Velcro. There are a pair of underarm supports attached to the sides of the belt (16) by way of the base bottoms (14).The side supports are spring loaded (5,7,12) and are held in place by pins(2,6,11). Foam rubber sleeves (3,4,13) and the top base (9) cover the springs (5,7,12) pins (2,6,11) and underarm rest (1). Underarm rests (1) are attached to the top of the underarm side supports by the top pins (2). Elastic shoulder straps (19) are attached to the front and back side of the underarm rests with a screw (23) to which the arm is fed through and the straps rest on top of the shoulder. The thumb screws (10) located in the center front of the underarm support on the top base (9) allows the vertical position of the underarm support to adjust for height. In back of the device are upper and lower elastic straps (20, 21) which aid in holding the underarm support in place.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The back supporter is an improvement over other devices by using a set of spring loaded adjustable under arm supports comprised of a combination of pins and springs that are sturdy yet flexible. The three pin construction in the upper support when in the upright position work like they are one solid support. When the wearer bends the springs around the pins allow them to move with the wearer in any direction.

The pins all have a radius on top or bottom that allow them to move like ball-joints against each other. The Base is also a three piece unit with a spring between two halves that operate on the same principle as the top, full support in the upright position but flexibility to move forward or backward, and side to side. The base has a through hole that receives the upper support post. A thumb screw lock against this post allows adjustment up or down for the users height. Multiple holes are punched into the belt to allow horizontal adjustment for the wearer's most useful position for the underarm supports.

The belt is a six inch wide belt across the back tapered down to three inches wide in front. The Belt is made of a durable five ply neoprene that gives more than sufficient support for the users back and for the side posts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 illustrates the front, side and back fit of the back supporter.

FIG. 1 illustrate the close body fit of the underarm support design and belt, having a Velcro fastener that loops across the front of the belt for individualized fit.

FIG. 2 illustrates the body's side profile wearing the pivoting underarm support along with the arm rest fitting snugly under the arm pit.

FIG. 3 illustrates the high back of the belt for extra back support, along with the elastic straps across the upper back to aid in keeping the arm supports in place while still allowing for flexibility in motion.

FIG. 4 illustrates the front and side view of the back supporter where the Velcro belt strap is fastened.

FIG. 5 illustrate the side view of the springs, pins and lock screw features of the spring loaded underarm support design. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A back supporter specially designed with spring loaded adjustable underarm side supports for movement in any direction. Configured expressly to give lift to the torso, alleviate back pain by preventing compression of the spine and evenly distributing the weight of the upper body, via the brace's integrated spring loaded side support system. Relieving pain and allowing for healing while still being able to move about. The back supporter brace is comprised of; a wide 5 ply neoprene belt that rest on the upper hip, with extra width in back for added support slightly contouring on the sides and front with a Velcro front fastener; a set of spring loaded adjustable side supports stemming from the upper sides of the belt straight up to the armpit of the user; each side support having thumb screws to adjust the length of the support, is fitted together with flexible springs and pins positioned to pivot with wearers movement, and a plastic base that attaches to the sides to the belt; a set of foam rubber sleeves which cover the upper pins and springs; a set of underarm rests are attached to the top of the spring loaded supports for the armpit to rest on; an elastic strap is attached to the front and back end of each underarm rest that over the shoulder; a set of elastic straps is attached to the elastic underarm shoulder straps, one strap in connected on each backend of the underarm rest, the other strap is centered across the upper back connected to each shoulder strap.
 2. The back supporter as claimed in claim 1, in which the belt's front fastener is an attached adjustable 2″ Velcro pull strap which feeds through a steel loop and folds back for individualized fastening fit.
 3. The back supporter as claimed in claim 1, in which the springs are compression springs designed to move in any direction with wearer.
 4. The back supporter as claimed in claim 1, in which the base of the underarm side supports is made of durable Nylatron plastics and has milled slots which attach firmly to the top of the belt with minimum exposure to the body.
 5. The back supporter as claimed in claim 1, in which the base slot slide of the underarm support is attached to the belt by two screws with adjustment positions forward or backward for adjustable side fit on the belt.
 6. The back supporter as claimed in claim 1, the underarm spring loaded supports have thumb screw locks which allow the underarm support to be readjusted up or down for vertical fit.
 7. The back supporter as claimed in claim 1, in which three pins in each support arm made of aluminum.
 8. The back supporter as claimed in claim 1, in which three pins in each support are press fit into the compression springs.
 9. The back supporter as claimed in claim 1, in which the bottom pin of the underarm support fits into the base for the vertical adjustment is approx. ½″ in diameter with a flat milled on one side for the adjustment thumb screw to lock down on. The top of the pin is turned down to fit the spring mounted on top of the pin.
 10. The back supporter as claimed in claim 1, in which the center pin is turned down to off fit the spring that is mounted on top of it and the top is turned down to fit the spring that is mounted on top of it.
 11. The back supporter as claimed in claim 1, in which the top pin and the bottom pin is turned down to fit the spring beneath.
 12. The back supporter as claimed in claim 1, in which the top pin is press fit ½″ into the top arm rest.
 13. The back supporter as claimed in claim 1, in which each arm support is comprised of three compression springs designed to handle extreme amounts of downward pressure, but very little resistance to any lateral movement.
 14. The back supporter as claimed in claim 1, in which the compression springs and pins are covered with foam rubber sleeves.
 15. The back supporter as claimed in claim 1, in which each pin has a radius on top or bottom that allow them to move like ball joints against each other. 